I love Michael Pollan and would rate Omnivore's Dilemma as one of my all-time favorite books. In this book, he drew on some of the same themes but sadly steered into giving health advice where he lacks expertise. The value for me was his take on health science in regard to nutrition over the past several decades and why health scientists continue to get it wrong. The narrator took on a haughty tone that I disliked but Pollan's content was well-researched and informative, particular as he tears apart what he calls "nutritionism" - deducing the value of various foods to specific components that may or may not contribute to our overall health. His argument draws heavily from Weston Price's decades-old wisdom that real food ecosystems bring peak health; not components of foods. Where he steers off course is his assessment that supplements are not needed as long as we eat real food, mostly plants. He actually says that people who take supplements are generally healthier because they value their health not because of the supplements they take. He makes no mention of junk supplements versus high quality supplements. He also fails to recognize the global rise in health problems as a result of the depletion of nutrients in our soil (instead; he blames poor health squarely on processed foods and the Western diet). There are plenty of super health-conscious people out there who still face major nutritional deficiencies because of genetic, gut, or other issues. In terms of whether supplements can help one's overall health and well-being, there are blood tests (real proof) -- as well as the patient's own change in health -- that show the value of certain supplements. In the end, he fell into his own trap of relying on mainstream medical community -- the very highly flawed culture of science he so readily criticizes -- to dole out over-simplified and unrealistic advice to his readers.

Although most of this material was not new to me, I thought that Pollan did an excellent job of covering the major issues in the food industry and offering practical advice for people wanting to take control of their food. I recommend this to anyone who's starting to wonder about the western diet health epidemic. Don't expect a president to regulate the very industries that support him. The system is broken, and it's up to us to take back our health. Pollan's humour & writing skills as a journalist were put to good use here.

For anyone interested in, or familiar with cooking, growing, or the cultural relevance of food it's no doubt that you're aware of the many shortcomings our modern agricultural world has....let alone the nutrition-ism and commercial food space that exists in (mostly) America. It's all a mess (though improving) and leaves the average person more or less confused as to what to eat for optimal health and enjoyment. Pollan provides useful information that's not overly technical or yawn-inducing for the casually interested, and puts forth a practical "manifesto" for eating that simplifies and de-stresses what we experience on our plates and in our glasses. Like his other works, his prose is fluid and at times poetic making this easy to read or listen to.